AIA: Congress Should Pass NASA Authorization Act This Session

AIA PRESS RELEASE

Aerospace Industries Association is extremely pleased that the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Science and Technology Committee have completed work on their respective versions of the NASA authorization bill.  These bills are a critical first step towards ensuring that we maintain a robust human spaceflight program.

The uncertainty over NASA’s future has led to job losses in the private sector as contractors react to mixed signals on the direction programs will take.  In many cases the loss of talent is irreversible as laid-off workers move into other, more stable fields.  Because many companies will be making staffing decisions for fiscal 2011 in the next month, a quickly completed NASA authorization bill is absolutely critical for the health and future vitality of the U.S. space industry.

We strongly urge Congress to complete passage of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 before the end of the legislative session.